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opinion

North Dakota needs higher RFS volumes

I appreciate the Washington Post's reporting on the trade disruption's impact on North Dakota's soybean farmers ("North Dakota soybean farmers, caught in the trade war, watch the season run out on their crop," from Oct. 15). Now, too, we've been caught by unseasonable weather that is dampening expectations of a timely harvest.

Over many years, North Dakota farmers built relationships and markets overseas. And fair markets are what we want — not price supports from the federal government. The United States must ensure fairness in its international trade agreements.

North Dakota's farmers also worked to grow markets here at home. For example, our state is home to one biodiesel facility; and now, a major oil company is bringing a second one online. The president can help ensure fair market access and encourage more investment by directing the Environmental Protection Agency to raise the biodiesel volumes in the annual Renewable Fuel Standard rule. And he can order EPA to restore the biodiesel demand lost to recent small refinery exemptions.

The situation can't wait to see who controls Congress next year. North Dakota's farmers need real solutions right now. Those actions will ensure fairness and market access here in the United States for biodiesel and provide support to North Dakota's farmers.